Method and apparatus for feeding flatwork ironers



Aug. 3, 1965 A. 0. LONG, SR

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FLATWORK IRONERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJan. 25, 1962 I z l/ 7 g AT'TORNEYS.

Aug. 3, 1965 A. 0. LONG, SR

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FLATWORK IRONERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJan. 25, 1962 INVENTOR. 4/46 0. 40/24, 5/;

' flfiTOE/VEV.

Aug. 3, 1965 A. 0. LONG, SR 3,198,315

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FLATWORK IRONERS Filed Jan. 25, 1962 5Sheets-Sheet Z INVENTOR. Arch 0. Lang, 5

This invention relates generally to improvements in the feeding offlatwork to flatwork ironers of the type used in commercial laundries,and refers more particularly to a method and apparatus for feedingfiatwork to such ironers.

In the use of the conventional commercial fiatwork ironer, it isnecessary to hand feed'the work, whether it be bed sheets, towels,pillow cases or the like, to the input end of the ironer. This is atime-consuming task "involving the services of at least two workers andrequiring many motions on the part of each worker. The problem isparticularly aggravating in feeding relatively narrow pieces, forexample, towels or pillow cases. The ordinary ironer is capable oftaking, in side-by-side relationship, several of these pieces at onetime. However, with only two workers, it is not possible to keep theironer at all times full to capacity. At the most two pieces at a timecan be fed, leaving unfilled gaps on the conveyor which moves thematerial through the ironer. Consequently, the ironer usually isoperated at but a fraction of its total capacity.

One object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatusfor use with ironing machines of the character described which makes itpossible to feed simultaneously to the ironer a plurality of workpieces,and in which, during the feeding operation, the operators or workers arefree to prepare additional pieces for feeding. While eflicient operationof the feeder apparatus still requires the services of two Workers, thearrangement and operation is such that the feeding is accomplished withmuch less effort and motion than has heretofore been the case, resultingin easing the task for the workers and at the same time, increasingtheir production measurably.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an automatic feederfor ironers which is equally valuable in handling narrow items like handtowels, roller towels or pillow cases and larger items ranging up to bedsheets. It is a special characteristic of the invention that theflatwork is evenly fed to the ironer by mechanism that causes theleading end portions of the fiatwork to be deposited on the inputconveyor of the ironer in smooth, unwrinkledcondition, and in suchposition that the reminder will be drawn into and through the ironerwith ease and facility.

A further object of the invention is to provide a feeder for flatworkironers which is so constructed that it can easily be incorporated withconventional ironers already in use without requiring changes ormodifications in the ironer itself.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a feeder for flatworkironers which is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive tooperate, and which is sufficiently rugged to withstand long use.

Other. and further objects of the invention together with the featuresof novelty appurtenant thereto will appear in the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification andare to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like referencenumerals indicate like parts in the various views.

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred feeder embodying theinvention, the feeder being shown in United States Patent iceconjunction with the input end of a conventional flatwork ironer;

FIG. 2 is a partly sectional view taken generally along the line 2-2 ofFIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end view taken from the left side of FIG. 1,showing only the near side;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the carrier rods having pieces offlatwork hung thereon;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are schematic views illustrating succeeding steps inthe operation of the feeder.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1, reference numeral 10indicates generally one of the ironing rolls of a conventional fiatworkironer. The roll is (not shown). Located beneath the roll is the steamchest 12 having an undulated upper surface which registers with theroll. An endless carrier web 13 moves between the roll 10 and uppersurface of the steam chest 12 and provides a moving base for fiatworkintroduced into the ironing mechanism.

Located ahead of the leading ironing roll 10 and forming part of theinput end of the ironer is the endless belt 14 trained around therollers 15 and 16. The upper flight of the belt 14 is guided by an apron17. The usual pressure roller 18 is disposed above the upper flight ofthe belt 14 and lightly rests thereon. It will be understood that theroller 16 is powered by any suitable means (not shown) in order to causethe belt to move in a direction in which the upper flight advancestoward the main ironing mechanism.

The parts described thus far, with prehaps minor modifications, arecommon in fiatwork ironers of the type presently in use, and furtherexplanation of these components will be unnecessary to those skilled inthe art.

The feeder unit is stationed at the input end of the ironer and issupported on the floor F. In the preferred embodiment the supportstructure for the feeding mechanism includes a base plate 19 having awidth somewhat greater than the width of the ironer, as may best beunderstood by referring to FIG. 2 wherein the end roll 15 of the ironeris shown in broken lines. It will be noted that the base plate extendswell under the input conveyor 14, the reason for which will subsequentlybe explained. The base preferably is provided with leveling feet 19anear its opposite side edges.

Firmly anchored to the base plate 19 and rising vertically therefrom arethe widely spaced front legs 20' (FIG. 2). The legs 20 are so spacedfrom one another that they exceed the span of the ironer. While only onecan be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, there are also two similarly spaced rearlegs 21, these likewise being firmly anchored to the base 1%.

The legs and 21 are preferably made adjustable in height. For thispurpose each leg is composed of two lengthwise sections joined by aclamping bolt 22. The 'lower section Zita, 21a, which conveniently canbe an angle section, is provided with an elongated slot 20b, 21b throughwhich the bolt extends. A tie brace 23 joins the front and rear legs ateach side of the frame structure. The near side of the frame structureas viewed in FIG. 1 also has secured between the upper sections 200, 210of the front and rear legs a beam member 24 on which is supported anelectric motor 25 and speed reducer 26. Motor 25 is connected wit-h theinput shaft of the speed reducer by belt 27.

The upper ends of the pairs of legs 20, 21 on each side of the unit haveresting thereon the horizontal flange 28a of an angle section 28. Theangle sections 28 form parallel beams at each side of the frame,spanning the front and rear legs and extending forwardly from the frontlegs on the opposite sides of the belt 14.

The vertical flange of each beam section 28 has secured thereto near itsforward end by bolts 29 an upstanding side plate 36. The bolt arereceived in elongate slots 29a in the plate, so as to permit lengthwiseadjustment of the plate relative to the beam section. A front shaft 31(FIG. 2) extends between and is supported at its opposite ends by theside plates 30. The ends of the shaft 31 are journaled in bearings 32secured to the inside faces of the plates; A cross brace member 32a ofchannel cross section also extends between and is secured at its ends tothe-respective plates 39. The shaft 3-1 has keyed thereto a pair ofspaced chain sprockets 33, the sprockets being spaced from each otherapproximately the width of the belt 14 and its roller 15. I

Plate members 36, similar in shape to the plate members 36, are alsoconnected with the beam sections 2-8 ne r the rearward ends thereof.Like the front plate members 31, the rear plate members are tiedtogether by a cross brace 37 and support therebctween a shaft 38. Theshaft is journaled insuitable bearings 39 secured to the plate, and isprovided with an extension portion 38a to which is keyed a sheave 49.The sheave 4th is driv-ingly connected with pulley 41 on the outputshaft of speed reducer 26. A pair of rear chain sprockets 42 are keyedto shaft 38, being spaced on the shaft at the same spacing employed forthe front sprockets 33. Each pair of front and rear-sprockets 33 and 4-2carries an endless chain 4-3.

It will be observed that the rear plate members are also mounted forlimited adjustment lengthwise of the beam sections 28. To establish asliding connection between the plate members and beam section, themounting bolts 44 are received in elongate slots 36a formed in the platemembers. A thrust screw 45 having one end swivelly connected with abracket 46 secured to beam section 28 is threadedly connected with lugs47 which project from the side of the plate 36. It will be evident thatonce bolts 44 are loosened, the plates 36 can be shifted forwardly orrearwardly by turning screw 45. The plate members are guided on therespective beam sections by the lugs 48 and 49 which are welded orotherwise secured to the plate members and respectively engage the topsurface of the horizontal leg 28a and the lower edge of the vertical legof the beam section.

Each of the chains 43 have secured thereto at equispaced intervals aplurality of hook-like members 50 The hooks on one chain are alignedwith the corresponding hooks on the other chain. The hooks are sodisposed with respect to the vertical plane of the respective carrierchains that, as they reach the roll 15, they will move past the endsthereof without interference, and with the lowermost portions of thehooks below the level of the upper flight of the belt 14.

The hook members th are designed to impel from the rear of the feedmechanism to the front, and then back to the rear again, a work carryingrod 51. In FIG. 1, I have shown four such rods, one adjacent the roll15, one immediately below the sheave 4%), one on the upper return path,and one in standby condition at the extreme rear of the machine. A's maybe seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, the rods 50 each comprise a generallycylindrical element having sufficient length as to stand between andoverlie at its opposite ends the horizontal flanges 28a of the fore andaft beam sections 23. Each rod is provided over the major portion of itslength with an outer skin 51a composed of a material which has a highdegree of frictional resistance to sliding of textile fabrics thereover.I have found that a resilient flexible polyurethane foam is eminentlysuit-able, although other skin materials, such as sandpaper or the likewhich provide a roughened surface, will also serve. The skin terminateswell inwardly of the ends of the rod to provide relatively smoothcylindrical susrfaces 51b. It is these surfaces which are engaged by thehook member 50 as will be seen from FIG, 2. At the very ends the rodsare provided with a cross sectional shape other than circular so that atleast two opposed i parallel flat faces are provided. Preferably theends are formed square, as at 51c, so that there are two sets of opposedparallel flat surfaces.

The rods are carried forwardly from the rear of the feeding mechanismtoward the ironer in a horizontal path with the ends 51c looselyconfined between upper and lower guides 52 and 53. The lower guides 53on each side comprise a strip superposed on the horizontal leg 28a ofthe beam section 28. It will be noted from FIG. 1 that the horizontalplane of the lower guides 53 intersects the slightly inclined plane ofthe upper flight of the belt '14 so that as a rod is moved past theroller 15 toward the ironer, it will be engaged by the belt and rideupwardly thereon, thus departing from the lower guides.

Each upper guide 52 is spaced above its associated lower guidea'd'istancc sufficient to permit and end 510 of the rod 51 to slidefreely therebetween while still preventing rotation of the rod. In thepreferred embodiment the upper guide 52 on each side of the machine isformed as the lower horizontal flange of an angle section 54 having thevertical flange 55 which is secured at its end to the inside faces ofthe front and rear plate members 30 and 36. The flange or guide 53 isnot continuous between the plates 30 and 36; instead, it terminates atits forward end in edge 56 which is located approximately at the pointwhere the advancing rod engages and rides upwardly on the belt 14. Thus,as the rod is moved onto the belt 14 the ends 510 of the rod are freedfrom the restraint against rotation afforded by the guides up to thispoint. At the forward or leading end the guide 52 is bent upwardly toprovide a throat area which facilitates entry of the ends 510 betweenthe guides.

It will be noted that the bottom legs of the hooks 50 are so spaced fromthe chain that during movement of the rods forwardly with the ends 510between the respective guides 52 and 53, the rods are supported on thelower guide 53, and are moved therealong by the upright legs of thehooks. These legs continue to roll the rods upwardly along and on belt14 until the angular position of the hooks is such that the hooks pickthe rod from the belt and move it upwardly over the front sprockets 33.

The rods are successively returned toward the rear of the machine on anupper return platform 57 which is supported from the cross braces 32aand 37 by the intervening channel sections 58; The forward end of theplatform 57 is. bent downwardly as at 57a to promote smooth interceptionof the rods on their up and rearward swing, and likewise is inclined atits other end, as at 57b, so that the rods will roll by gravity out ofthe hooks before the latter make their turns around the rear sprockets.If desired, the inclined discharge portion 571) can lead to a storagearea or magazine (not shown). The return platform is desirable inasmuchas it relieves the chain of the weight of the rods during the returnmovement.

' Although not necessary for the handling of short pieces, such asordinary hand towels and pillow cases, the preferred feeder is alsoprovided with an endless belt conveyor 60 which is trained about therollers 61 and 62. These rollers are supported from base 19 by trunnions63. A motor and speed reducer 64 serves to drive the conveyor 60 in thedirection of the arrow. At the discharge end an inclined pickup platform65 is provided, this platform forming with a vertical end plate 66 atrough-like Zone into which the portions carried by conveyor 60 will bedischarged.

The basic steps involved in the feeding operation are best illustratedin and will be explained in conjunction with FIGS. 4-7, inclusive. Asshown in FIG. 4, the initial step in handling items such as towels T isto drape a plurality of them were rod 51 leaving a slight space betweenadjacent towels. During the draping the rod i supported in anyconvenient fashion, but held so that it cannot rotate..

The towels are so draped that the major portion of the length hangs onone side of the rod with a short tail on" the other. Despite theimbalance, the skin surface 51a will prevent the towels from slippingfrom the rod.

The rod is now advanced t-oward the ironer conveyor belt 14 with thelong portion of thetowel foremost, while still holding the rod againstrotation. In the preferred embodiment of the apparatus, this step isperformed by the chain carried hooks 5t acting in cooperation with theguides 52 and 53. 'The guides 52 and '53,'due to their en gagement withthe opposed flat surfaces on rod ends 510, hold the rod against rotationduring the advance of the rod.

As the rod reaches the belt 14, it is moved inwardly thereon with arolling motion. To effectthigthe rod must be advanced at a greaterlineal rate'of movement than the lineal speed of belt 14. In thepreferred apparatus this is accomplished by driving the chains 43 at agreater lineal rate than the rate of belt 14. As will be observed fromFIG. 6, when the rod reaches the point of rolling contact with the belt14, it is no longer restrained against rotation since the upper guide 52has terminated. Thus, the force exerted on the rodby hooks 50 causes itto roll upwardly on the belt, and as therod rolls, it deposits the upperend of the t-owels'T thereon so that from this point they will becarried into the ironer by the belt 14. The rolling action of the rodserves to smoothly deposit the leading end of the towels on the conveyorbelt 14.

As the rod continues its motion under the influence of hooks 50, itrides off the end of the towel andupwardly on belt 14 until such time asit is picked up by the hooks and deposited on the upper return platform57. As earlier described, the rod is returned on the platform 57 to therear end of the feeder where it is again made available for loading.

It will be understood that in the operation of the preferred apparatus,the rods are fed individually into the input end of the feeder so thatonly one rod is engaged by a pair of hooks. The spacing of the hooks ispreselected in accordance with the length of the flatwork. The spacingshould be such that the trailing end of one piece will be followed, andnot overlapped, by the leading end of the next piece. The number ofhooks on the chain, the over-all length of the feeder, and rate of driveof the chains will depend on the type of flatwork generally to behandled. However, it will be evident that by proper selection of thesefactors it is possible to have the leading end of one piece of flatworkclosely follow the trailing end of a preceding piece, and consequently,the ironer can be run to full capacity.

In the handling and feeding of relatively short lengths of flatwork, thefeeder is of suflicient height that the lower ends of the flatwork willnot contact the base 19. However, for handling long items, the conveyor60 is also utilized. This conveyor is driven at a lineal rate slightlygreater than the lineal rate of movement of chains 43. When the rod 51is placed in feeding position, the lower portion of the flatwork carriedthereby is deposited on the left-hand end of the lower conveyor (aviewed in FIG. 1). Because of the differing speeds of chains 43 andconveyor as, the portion carried by the conveyor 60 will advance morerapidly and, thus, the work on separate rods will be maintainedsufiiciently apart that there is little danger of entanglement.Moreover, should the length of the work be sufliciently great that thelower ends of work on one rod not be completely drawn from the trough asthe lower ends on the next rod arrive, the latter will, in effect, bepushed under the portions of the work till in the trough and,consequently, the work will feed relatively freely therefrom as it isdrawn toward and into the ironer.

Where the length of the work is such that only a small portion would becarried by lower conveyor 60, the latter can move approximately at thesame speed as chains 43. However, if a substantial portion of the lengthis carried by the conveyor 60, the speed should differ, as previouslydescribed. In the latter case the relative movement of the lowerportions with respect to the carrier rod serves not only to preventpiling in the 6 trough, as previously described, but also would tend todraw additional material from the mass deposited on the conveyor priorto the deposit of the leading end of the belt 14.

Adjustment of the position of the feeder relative to the belt 14 can bemade through operation of the thrust screws 45.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one welladapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forthtogether with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherentto the method and structure.

It will be understood thatcertain features and subcombinations are ofutility and may be employed without reference to other features andsubcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of theclaims;

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention withoutdeparting from the scope thereof, ,it is to be understood that allmatter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Apparatus for feeding flatwork to the conveying belt of an ironingmachine comprising a rod member, and means for supporting and advancingsaid rod member from a point remote from said'belt to engagement withthe belt and thereafter roll it on the surface of the belt for aselected distance from the contact point.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 including means cooperating with said rod andoperating to restrain said rod against rotation about its own axisduring the advance of said rod toward said contact.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said rod has a portion of its surfacecovered with a material having high frictional resistance to the slidingof fabric thereover.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said material is flexible urethanefoam.

5. Apparatus for feeding fiatwork to the conveying surface of theconveying belt of an ironing machine comprising a rod over whichfiatwork can be draped, track means for said rod extending toward saidsurface and positioned to engage the ends of said rod and support samein a horizontal position at a location remote from said surface, meansoperable to advance said rod along said track means toward said surface,deposit said rod on said surface then roll it therealong, and meansoperable to restrain said rod against rotation during said advance untilsaid rod is adjacent said surface.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5 including a. lower conveyor positionedbeneath the level of said track means, and means driving said lowerconveyor in the direction of advance of said rod, the speed of saidlower conveyor being at least equal to the speed of advance of said rod.

7. Apparatus for feeding flatwork to the conveying surface of theconveying belt of an ironing machine comprising a rod over whichflatwork can be draped, a pair of spaced parallel substantiallyhorizontal supporting tracks extending toward said surface and locatedin a common plane intersecting the plane of said surface, said rodextending between and resting near its opposite ends on said tracks,thrust means operable to advance said rod along said tracks toward andonto said surface, said tracks terminating near said surface whereby therod moves from the tracks onto said surface, said thrust means operableto roll said rod along said surface for a selected distance, and meansoperable to prevent rotation of said rod during its travel along saidtracks.

8. Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said thrust means is so constructedas to lift said rod from said surface following the movement of the rodover said surface for said selected distance.

9. Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said thrust means comprises a pair ofcarrier members positioned adjacent the respective tracks, and memberssecured to said carrier members and positioned to engage said rod atpoints adjacent said tracks and near the opposite ends of said rod.

10. Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said last named means comprisesguide means parallel to said tracks and spaced thereabove, and surfaceson said rod which cooperate with said guide means during the advance ofsaid rod.

, 11. Apparatus as in claim 8 including means operable to return saidrod toward the far end of said tracks in a path remote from the path ofadvance of said rod.

12. Apparatus for feeding flatwork to the conveying surface of theconveying belt of an ironing machine comprising a pair of spacedparallel substantially horizontal supporting tracks extending towardsaid surface and located in a common plane intersecting the plane ofsaid surface, a rod member extending between and resting near itsopposite ends on said tracks, a pair of endless flexible drive chains,each positioned adjacent a track and having one flight near and parallelwith its associated track, means operable to drive said chains in 'adirection whereby the lower flights advance toward said surface, thrustmembers secured to said chains and operable to engage said rod memberand advance 2 same along said tracks toward and onto said surface, saidtracks terminating near said surface whereby the rod member moves fromthe tracks onto said surface under the influence of said thrust members,said chains driven at a lineal ratewhich is greater than the lineal rateof movement of said surface and said thrust members operable to rollsaid rod along on said surface for a selected distance, and meansoperable to prevent rotation of said rod member during its advance onsaid tracks;

13. Apparatus as in claim 12 wherein said thrust members have hookportions which lift said rod member from said surface upon thecompletion of the rolling movement.

14. Apparatus as in claim 13 including a return track spaced above saidfirst named tracks, and operable to receive and guide said rod memberback toward the far end of the first named tracks after it has beenlifted from said surface.v

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,607,776 11/26Mustee. 1,686,680 10/28 Case 198lO2 X 1,827,336 10/31 Sager 38-1431,997,267 4/35 Remington. 2,855,089 10/58 Griflin 198-21 FOREIGN PATENTS735,435 8/55 Great Britain.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM F. LABORDE, Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FLATWORK TO THE CONVEYING BELT OF AN IRONINGMACHINE COMPRISING A ROD MEMBER, AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND ADVANCINGSAID ROD MEMBER FROM A POINT REMOTE FROM SAID BELT TO ENGAGEMENT WITHTHE BELT AND THEREAFTER ROLL IT ON THE SURFACE OF THE BELT FOR ASELECTED DISTANCE FROM THE CONTACT POINT.